i can make nature crafts

I Can Make Nature Crafts Owl Books are published by Greey de Pencier Books Inc., 179 John Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3G5 Owl and the Owl colophon are trademarks of Owl Comm

Mary Wallace

I Can Make Nature Crafts

Owl Books are published by Greey de Pencier Books Inc.,

179 John Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3G5 Owl and the Owl colophon are trademarks of Owl Communications

Greey de Pencier Books Inc is a licensed user of trademarks of Owl Communications

Text and photographs © 1996 Mary Wallace

All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or copied

in any form without written consent from the publisher

Distributed in the United States by Firefly Books (U.S.) Inc.,

230 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1607, New York, NY 10001

This book was published with the generous support of the Canada Council,

the Ontario Arts Council and the Ontario Publishing Centre

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Wallace, Mary, 1950-

Ican make nature crafts

ISBN 1-895688-48-5 (bound) ISBN 1-895688-49-3 (pbk.)

1, Nature craft - Juvenile literature I Title

TT160.W35 1996 j745.5 C95-932252-3 Design & Art Direction: Julia Naimska

Crafts on the front cover, counterclockwise from upper left:

Grassy Head; Cornhusk Doll; Stone Statue; Nutty Buddies;

Twig Vase; Old-Time Writing; Burr Butterfly

The crafts in this book have been tested and are safe when conducted as instructed

The author and publisher accept no responsibility for any damage caused or sustained

by the use or misuse of ideas or material featured in the crafts in I Can Make Nature Crafts

Other books by Mary Wallace

I Can Make Toys

I Can Make Puppets

I Can Make Gifts

I Can Make Games

I Can Make Costumes How to Make Great Stuff to Wear How to Make Great Stuff for Your Room

Printed in Hong Kong

A B G D E F

Old-Time Writing - 16

Grass Whistle - 18

Dandelion Loops - 19 Burr Butterfly - 20

Cornhusk Dolls se 22

Moss Garden+ 26 Forest Folk - 28 Treasure Trunk + 30

LET’s MAKE

NATURE CRAFTS

You can make all the crafts in this book It’s easy It’s fun These two pages

show the things used to make the crafts in this book, but you can use other things if you like You'll find most of what you need inside or outside around your house — get permission to use what you find Pick only what you need, enjoy the natural setting, and have fun!

small rag

burr

twist ties vegetable oil

e grass seed

egg carton

newspapers

drinking straw paintbrush acrylic paint

break twigs about the

same length as the can

`

put rubber bands around the can

pull out rubber

bands and insert

twig as shown cover outside of can repeat until twigs wrap and tie yarn to cover rubber bands

stack stones and play clay

use play clay to hold

stones in place

add clay as needed

use twigs and play clay to decorate

twist ties rubber bands

2 googly eyes white glue

glue on &

pinch soil at sides googly eyes

to make ears and wrap

with rubber bands

Jet dry

shape glasses

from twist ties ,

soak stocking head in water for a few minutes a

In about 10 days

the grass will sprout

You can trim the grass hair or leave it long

place in dish and keep

in sunny place add water every day

11

place twist ties

over one half

add details

J

press halves

together trim hair (8)

bend arms and let dry legs to pose

13

2 large rubber bands

cut newspapers

to fit between cardboard

14

tape rubber bands

along one edge (5)

press leaves between

newspaper

leave 4 sheets of newpaper

between each layer of leaves

close carefully and use rubber bands

to hold closed

put closed leaf press under a pile of books for about 2 weeks

use pressed leaves

to decorate your other crafts

15

e found feather e white glue

e disinfectant e small jar with lid

e scissors e play clay

e acrylic paint ° water

e paintbrush e food color

e pressed leaves e grown-up to help ih

: ` feather with disinfectant

cut off base at an angle

from cardboard pressed leaves ‹

paint and Em:

glue down piece of clay and press

e astrong blade of grass

pick a sturdy

blade of grass

press your lips against your thumbs and blow hard

DANDELION Loops

a loop and make a chain

crayons

burr white glue

let dry

21

GREEN GIRL & Boy

pull husks off ear of corn

place corn silk

across middle

trim thick bottoms off

husks

22

yarn below silk

place arms wrap and tie yarn add details with

as shown below arms acrylic paint

23

DRIED Duo

paintbrush scissors

~ color with tempera

paint and water

dd) collect moss from

damp places among trees

or along roadsides

fill shallow | dish with potting soil

shape soil into make holes j valleys and hills and dents in soil

push in twigs

add rocks and shells

to cover all soil

water lightly twice a week and keep away from direct sunlight

27

add details in acrylic paint

push into a ball of play clay

wrap and to stand

tie leaves

28

to head

trim grass wrap and tie} \

tie with yarn

at one end spread twigs at

bottom

29

paint egg carton let dry ue

with acrylic paint

® cut cardboard " \ mix food color : @

excess

cover part of 4 sprinkle on

cardboard one color \—

with glue of sand

RESPECTING NATURE

* Before collecting grass, moss, leaves,

flowers or twigs, ask a grown-up to make

sure they are not harmful

* Don’t eat wild berries unless a grown-up

tells you they are not poisonous

* Pick only small amounts of growing

things Pick only what you need

* Don’t pull a plant up by its roots

* Never take all the leaves, flowers

or seeds from a plant

¢ If there are only a few plants of one kind growing, leave them alone

* Sometimes it’s better to just look, not pick and take the memory home

Yes! Kids can make nature crafts that are

{uns great-looking + easy ¢o Make

I Can Make Nature Crafts will show you how Using household odds and ends, and

natural materials from any walk outdoors, construction is no fuss, no mess, with no

complicated instructions So open this book, appreciate the natural world, let your

imagination and creativity fly, and let’s make nature crafts!

About the Author

Mary Wallace is an award-winning artist, craftsperson and former elementary school teacher She has spent more than fifteen years teaching and inspiring children and adults to create innovative crafts Mary’s special gift for ingenious crafts designs turns the ordinary into the extraordinary in books for children of all ages — from How to Make Great Stuff to Wear and How to Make Great Stuff for Your Room, a Notable Children’s Book of the Canadian Library Association, to the

I Can Make series of books of crafts for young children Mary

teaches at a school of fine arts in Ontario

Other books by Mary Wallace

I Cam Make Toys

I Can Make Puppets

I Can Make Gifts

I Can Make Games

I Can Make Costumes How to Make Great Stuff to Wear How to Make Great Stuff for Your Room

$6.95